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Fire and Police Commission affirms 7-day suspension for Milwaukee officer over failure to investigate
Summary
The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission unanimously affirmed a seven-day unpaid suspension for Officer Benjamin Riviere on June 20, 2025, finding he failed to conduct a thorough investigation after a March 23, 2024 crash that left two people critically injured.
The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission on June 20, 2025, unanimously affirmed a seven-day unpaid suspension for City of Milwaukee police Officer Benjamin Riviere for violating the department's code of conduct by failing to conduct a full investigation of a March 23, 2024, crash that left two drivers seriously injured.
The commission's decision follows testimony and evidence, including stipulated documents and body-worn camera recordings, presented at a multi-day disciplinary hearing. Assistant Chief Craig Sarno and Captain Liam Looney of Internal Affairs told commissioners the initial responding officers did not perform basic investigatory steps and released a likely suspect before District 7 investigators arrived.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the lapse cost investigators timely evidence and contributed to a loss of criminal prosecution prospects for the injured parties. Assistant Chief Sarno told the panel the executive command staff concluded the failure to investigate had…
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